1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to rotary mowers and, more specifically, to systems for mounting the blade to the drive axle of the rotary mower.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional blade-mounting, system for a rotary mower generally includes a cutting blade mounted to a drive axle, which extends from a mower deck and is rotatably powered by an internal-combustion engine or an electrical motor mounted to the deck. To this end, the axle may include a threaded bore, and the blade includes an aperture aligned with the bore. A fastening mechanism, such as a threaded bolt and washer, is inserted through the aperture and into the bore so as to mount the blade to the axle.
Because of the inherent danger presented by the rotating blade during operation of the mower, the bolt is usually tightened to a significant degree so as to ensure that the bolt does not come loose. However, the torque required to ensure safety also presents a substantial difficulty in removing the blade for purposes of sharpening or replacing the blade, cleaning, the mower deck, lubricating moving parts, etc. In particular, since mower decks have no locking, mechanism that holds the blade against rotation when the bolt is being loosened, the blade and axle freely move together in the direction of torque. This can be an impediment to loosening the bolt. And, even when a locking device, such as a block of wood, is improvised by the operator, there is the danger of stripping the head of the bolt in order to overcome the tightening torque used to mount the blade to the axle.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for a mower blade-mounting system that safely and securely mounts the blade to the drive axle, but facilitates easy removal of the blade for servicing or replacement purposes.
The deficiencies in the related art are overcome in a blade-mounting system for a rotary mower of the present invention. The rotary mower includes a platform operatively connected in driven relationship with a drive axle of the rotary mower. The platform includes a pair of raised edges spaced from one another and disposed on opposite sides of the platform. The platform also includes a plurality of upstanding lugs projecting from the platform and between the pair of edges with at least one of the upstanding lugs including a transverse hole extending through the lug. A blade is adapted to be disposed adjacent the platform and between the pair of raised edges. The blade includes apertures corresponding to the plurality of upstanding lugs such that the lugs are received through the apertures in the blade. A fastener is adapted to be received through the transverse hole in the at least one upstanding lug so as to removably mount the blade in adjacent relationship to the platform and between the pair of raised edges. The pair of raised edges and plurality of lugs cooperate to translate rotary motion from the drive axle of the mower to the blade.
One advantage of the blade-mounting system of the present invention is the dramatic increase in speed at which mower blades may be serviced or changed. Thus, the present invention finds particular use in the commercial mowing industry where blades are changed more frequently.
Another advantage of the blade-mounting system of the present invention is the absence of tools required to mount or dismount the blades to or from the system.
An additional advantage of the blade-mounting system of the present invention is the significant benefit for larger mowers, such as xe2x80x9cbrush hogs,xe2x80x9d with which it is quite difficult to loosen the larger sized bolts used to mount the conventional blades.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.